Photo of Maria Muldaur by Ed Yourdon
As another year and era turn, I’m thinking about age. And representation online.
My social media interactions are down, way down. There are thoughtful accounts I follow, and some fruitful exchanges take place. I get inspired by beauty and ideas I can apply to design, too. Regarding real-world issues, a respect for truth, for dialogue, for one another. Constructive action. The rest… Basta. I’d rather hear a voice, see a face, or at least read an email or text. Many of my contemporaries feel the same way — there’s little time to waste on depletion.
Speaking of my contemporaries, remember the heady early days of the web? DOS! The Mac Classics that looked like little toasters! Sidebars! “You’ve Got Mail!” and the fun(?) of LiveJournal and Geocities. And the backgrounds, the backgrounds! Not to mention all of those wild Java effects.
Things have changed. A cleaner aesthetic. I do think, though, that there are ways to bring the best of a more seasoned look into the present. Web design for Baby Boomers, Generation X-ers, or the Traditionalists can be beautiful, functional, accessible, and carry a nod to the past. Yes, optimization for usability is crucial. So is credibility and sincerity — tone matters.
By the time you’ve reached your fourth or fifth decade and beyond, there’s a singular history and atmosphere inside you that radiates — and should be part of your online presence. It shouldn’t look like anyone else’s. One of my favorite parts of the design process is to get a read on the person in addition to their art or service. Sometimes as we talk, a song will come to my head, or a movie palette. Then we get started. It’s the best feeling to help bring the whole of you together.
